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New York hospital patient tests negative for Ebola

The Associated Press

Posted:
08/06/2014 06:14:16 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — A man who appeared at a New York hospital with a high fever and gastrointestinal symptoms after a visit to West Africa has tested negative for the Ebola virus, health officials said Wednesday.

The man, who recently traveled to a country where Ebola has been reported, has been kept in isolation since he arrived at Mount Sinai Hospital early Monday. He was in stable condition and was improving, said the hospital, which didn't disclose what illness he has.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said six people in the United States, including the New York patient, have been tested for Ebola since the West African outbreak erupted this year and all results were negative.

Officials at U.S. airports are watching travelers from Africa for flu-like symptoms that could be tied to the recent Ebola outbreak there.

The Ebola virus causes a hemorrhagic fever that has killed more than 900 people, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. It's spread through direct contact with bodily fluids.

Border patrol agents at airports in New York and Washington have been told to ask travelers about possible exposure to the virus and to be on the lookout for anyone with a fever, diarrhea, red eyes or other symptoms. But health officials say the threat to Americans at home remains relatively small.